Sunday, August 26, 2012

So.....Grandma has been in charge of their Creative Writing for the past few years BUT it is becoming an issue trying to get the boys to work! Grandma lives 6 hours away, she is not here on a daily basis for help and you can only do so much via telephone. That leaves the struggle of making the learn to me and then it becomes a 3 way fight. Boys do not want to do it, they do not want to fight with Grandma so they fight with me and then I get to deal with my Mom.
This year, we decided to get Creative Writing Help! No more fighting amongst ourselves, we are getting online help via Time4Writing! The teachers THERE can evaluate and help the boys and therefore eliminate the family struggle!LOL
I am really looking forward to an easier year, an easier day and no issues. Yes, they will still whine and moan about doing it. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be kids!LOL BUT, it is not an issue between my kids and myself or myself and my Mom or my kids and my Mom. No more listening to Grandma complain because of how they have not done a great job or the boys complaining because the do not understand the work.
YEAH!!! I do not know who is more thrilled...ME, the BOYS or my MOM!!LOL
I will keep you posted on how it works out!

A Mother's Work is Never Done!
Honestly, the kids are busy enjoying the Summer, the nice weather and Mom gets to write and plot out lesson plans! Ah, the joy of Motherhood! LOL
We are doing less online and more hands-on work this year so....I had to order a bunch of different curriculum and now I get to check out each of them, mark how many lessons and work it out with the number of weeks we will be schooling this year!
I did get smart and purchase a Teacher Lesson Plan book at the Dollar Store so I can work it out on paper and have a hard copy. Then I will print it out for the boys and post it on the wall!
BUT....I am adding some new things this year! We have been working on Spelling but they are both in High School this year and while Spelling is still important...we need to step it up a notch! What is the use of knowing HOW to spell a word if you do not know what the word MEANS! So, we are working on matching definition with the word! And Spelling it! This will strengthen their Spelling AND their Vocabulary! Win-Win situation and as a homeschooling Mom, I LOVE THOSE! 2 for 1 kind of deals!
By the 2nd semester we may expand it to be part of their Writing program but for now, matching definitions is enough!
Baby steps!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

As I mentioned in the past, we LOVE Spelling City!
It works for us! We love the way it tests my boys, we love the games you can play with your spelling words, we love the fact we can print out our spelling words for HANDWRITING practice and it goes on and on! I mean I am killing 2 birds with 1 stone here.....and they are learning with both of them to boot!
Out of their games, one of my boys favorites is "Which Word" sentences or fill in the blank as we call them!
Here is the brief description that Spelling City gives you about it:
"WhichWord? Sentences is a great activity to practice using context clues to identify spelling and vocabulary words. WhichWord? Sentences may be played as an online context clues game or printable grammar worksheets may be generated from this free online game."
And see, I learned something NEW just by printing that. I never knew it could be printed out! WOW! Ok, Spelling City....you are getting even COOLER in my book! And I didn’t think that was possible!
We are on vacation the last week in August and I have already bought all the boys curriculum, joined all the online things we wanted and since we are not starting until September 4th, I am spending part of vacation week laying it all out so we know what we have to do and when. Including Spelling City will definitely be part of it and Which Word is a MUST!
Happy Homeschooling!!

How many of us REALLY know our fractions? I mean be honest? We know measuring, we know that 4 quarters makes a whole, etc. but if you had to sit down and remember HOW to multiply 1/7 x 3/4 could you do it? In a reasonable amount of time? I thought not!LOL
Neither can I! Once I get back into the swing of things and take notes on the right way to do it....I can limp along but to have that problem presented to me....HA! Forget it!
And since I am teaching 2 middle school/high school boys....we tend to do a lot of fraction lessons! And yes, I get a lot of practice but it is not one of those things you retain. Use it or lose it!
So I check out EVERY single thing I find on the internet about fractions! Why? Because if it is a good program for little to no cost, we are going to use it! It may be the key to unlock the mysteries of fractions! All it takes is a different way of being taught for people and something clicks and then you just know it! It may take 10 programs/curriculums before you find the right one that clicks for your child and/or for you!
So, if you did NOT know how to multiply 1/7 x 3/4 and you have a child heading into a school year of fraction lessons, I suggest you get on the ball and find something to teach you how to teach them.....or at least limp along! It helped me! :)
Happy Homeschooling!